Thursday, July 28, 2011

Do take note that this is an invited review - So, here are my usual disclaimers:1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...

A mother and son team, dishing up traditional Padang food? - how sweet... :)

Mother and son, Sambasri Harun and Irwan Arifin, posing with their signature dishes....

.... and they are serving up delicious traditional cuisine from their hometown, Pariaman in Padang, Indonesia - with a beautiful blend of fragrant spices accentuated by a mild, pleasing (chilli) heat on the tongue....

- The famous Fat Boy Bakes, with a big bone in hand:(Look at that gleeful smile!)

- It's the Concorde KL after all, so it's a nice setting in the main Melting Pot Cafe dining area:(Reservations are highly recommended, as it usually gets very packed)

Comfortable although crowded....

- There's also a live band around to entertain you as you dine:

Somehow they managed to make Bieber's Baby song sound interesting....

Price-wise, I think it's pretty reasonable, considering it's a very reputable hotel in the KL area:- RM 89++ per adult, - RM 44.50++ per child (4 to 12 years old).(There is also a 20% discount during the 1st and 4th week of Ramadhan!)

We were also told that they will be changing the menu everyday, to keep things exciting, so you can just keep going back again and again, if you want to. :)

PS/ Thanks (and *HUGS*) to the witty Fat Boy Bakes for extending the invite and of course, to the sweet Julini of Concorde for being such a good hostess.

Monday, July 25, 2011

I met an ex of mine recently when he visited Malaysia... and he exclaimed how he was really surprised I like drinking beer now....

It's not THAT strange for a girl to enjoy a nice, ice cold beer once in a while, is it? ;)(... Or even more than once in a while)

There was a time when I thought beers tasted horrible,... but that's before I tried some of the really lovely beers available. One interesting new discovery, is the Kronenbourg Blanc, the newly launched "white" beer from the French brand, Kronenbourg 1664.

I got to taste it at the launch party, which was held at the brand spanking new and GORGEOUS View Rooftop Bar of G Tower:

Beauiful view of the KL skyline from the top of The View....

Mmmmmmm. I found the light but evidently fruity taste of the beer really interesting - would love this served ice cold, while I lay down at the side of a beach. :)

The new Kronenburg Blanc (front) and the existing classic Blue Kronenburg (back)....

The artistically painted models at the launch were really interesting too:

Ooh la la....

It's art?....

HUGE thanks and *hugs* to the gorgeous Agent Ciki who allowed me to borrow her photos - my camera doesn't perform very well in low lighting....

Also, thanks to Alex and Gladys from G Tower, who so kindly extended the invite to this event - had a lot of fun. :)

For more info on the hotel/ the office units/ other facilities, do check out their main website: CLICK HERE.

Monday, July 04, 2011

Through the years, pan mee places have come and gone but Kin Kin remains, with its facade pretty much unchanged:(Located in a slightly hidden block of shoplots, just off the bustling Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman aka Jalan TAR - sort of just behind the Honda showroom)

Outside Kin Kin....

Inside, it remains simple and down to earth - a typical coffeeshop setting, which can get VERY packed on weekday lunch times:

Simple - plastic chairs and tables....

I started with a side order of Pork meatballs (about RM 5 for a 1 person serving):

Yummy oinky bites....

Small, slightly bouncey and savoury, with a slight zing of salted fish(?) minced in - not fantabulous, but it's a good complementary part to a meal at Kin Kin.

There really aren't many choices here - just their signature pan mee, which comes in 1 standard size, in either dry (Korn low) or soup format (Chee-ee sui) (about RM 5.50 per bowl).

I much prefer the dry format - topped with an egg, minced pork sauce and deep fried anchovies (ikan bilis), with the accompanying small side bowl of veggies in a simple egg drop soup:

ALL MINE :D....

One thing that really wins points with me here is that the egg is always (as far as my experience goes) perfectly prepared - look at it in all its glistening, jiggly glory, oozing beautifully runny yolk with just a light prod of a chopstick:

LOVE...

The famed Chilli is served separately - it is FIERY, to say the least. There was a time when the attitudes of the owners/ waitresses there were EQUALLY FIERY (thus, their infamy for mostly horrible and brash service) but after such a long lapse, I got the feeling that they have mellowed over the years.....(Bordering on friendly, even! Or maybe I went on a "good day" as compared to the last time, a few years ago?)

A plastic canister filled with chilli at every table....

You can add in as much or as little chilli as you like. I recommend starting with one spoonful and adding more later if you would like your tongue to sizzle: (Mind you, I actually like spicy food but I can only handle about 1 and a half spoonfuls before it gets uncomfortably hot - it is a thin line between pleasure and pain, eh? lol)

All mixed up and ready for consumption!....

The beauty is in the mix. :)

All their lovingly prepared ingredients** make up the wonderful mix of textures and tastes - al dente noodles that are not the least bit starchy, coated with the sticky goodness of the runny egg, accentuated by the dry heat of the chilli, crunch from the crispy anchovies and savoury goodness of the pork mince.(** As I understand, everything from the noodles to the chilli blend is prepared in house)

GLORIOUS. (Hits all the right spots for me)

Of course, as many have pointed out, the serving size is pretty small for the price.... Still, this place remains a firm favourite for me if I have a craving for pan mee. :)(Note: Prices stated are approximate because there is no receipt and I forgot - sorry!)

So it's: Simple setting, good chilli pan mee (reputedly the best) BUT can be very packed, service is infamous (although much better now), limited choices and serving size is on the small side......

OMG I won a TOKL award! Thanks y'all! :)

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About Me

A grumpy yet sweet Malaysian chocoholic on her encounters with food and the adventure called life....
I can't believe I've managed to keep this up since 2005. Hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have. :)